Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Kent, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Kent, WA: $3,293 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
159

Cost of Living Index in Kent, WA
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Kent, WA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Kent, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,293

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Kent, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in Kent, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,293 in Kent, WA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Kent, WA $3,293

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,979 in Kent, WA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Kent, WA $4,979

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $6,665 in Kent, WA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Kent, WA $6,665

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 15% more expensive than in Kent, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Kent, WA 142% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.40 $20.40

24.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$79.6 $79.6

26.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.02 $14.02

5.28%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.73 $4.73

37.42%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.77 $2.77

15.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.12 $2.12

48.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$6.90 $6.90

15.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.08 $8.08

0.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.30 $1.30

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.04 $5.04

5.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.36 $3.36

90.48%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$6.90 $6.90

-26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$14.85 $14.85

25.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.26 $14.26

31.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$22.97 $22.97

-0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$6.05 $6.05

0.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.86 $1.86

4.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.75 $3.75

46.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.24 $4.24

53.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.80 $2.80

24.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.64 $2.64

24.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.47 $1.47

90.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.51 $2.51

2.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$12.52 $12.52

-0.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.95 $14.95

-0.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.09 $2.09

100.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$1.99 $1.99

191.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$62.0 $62.0

71.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.55 $2.55

1.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.66 $1.66

-1.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$30.44 $30.44

-1.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.40 $1.40

0.71%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.8K $36.8K

$32.2K $32.2K

14.45%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.2K $27.2K

-2.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$308 $308

-0.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$69.2 $69.2

$62.0 $62.0

11.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$83.6 $83.6

2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$32.74 $32.74

133.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$17.21 $17.21

106.28%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$18.20 $18.20

-0.99%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,746 $2,746

$2,711 $2,711

1.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$31.4K $31.4K

-2.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$40.55 $40.55

95.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

0.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$88.3 $88.3

43.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$39.71 $39.71

300.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,049 $2,049

22.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,793 $1,793

8.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$4,073 $4,073

25.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,455 $3,455

2.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$5,893 $5,893

25.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,982 $3,982

25.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,660 $4,660

38.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.76

1.92%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Kent, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Kent, WA

$1.8K 54.4% 7.5% $146

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Kent, WA

$461 14% 15.8% $86

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Kent, WA

$453 13.8% 2.1% $9.6

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Kent, WA

$332 10.1% 18.2% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Kent, WA

$100 3.1% 46.8% $88

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Kent, WA

$85 2.6% 34.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Kent, WA

$69 2.1% 38.5% $43

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,049 in Kent, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 39% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $80 in Kent, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $461 per month, with Kent, WA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Kent, WA

🕒 Local time

08:28 8:28 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

136,588

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Kent, WA 26 km

From you

Seattle, WA
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Seattle, WA vs Kent, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kent, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 13% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Kent, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 39% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,049 in Kent, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kent, WA – a meal for two runs $80 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,293 in Kent, WA – Kent, WA is about 13% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Kent, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Kent, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.